Meet the PACE Mentor Team
The PACE Mentor Team is made up of upper-class student leaders who serve as peer mentors for students enrolled in the PACE Mentorship Program. Each mentor is passionate about building community, celebrating identity, and helping new students thrive at Augustana.
You’ll meet your PACE Mentor in August, just before the start of PACE Orientation. Your mentor will be a familiar face who’s walked a similar path, and is committed to helping you feel seen, supported, and successful throughout your first year.
Aidan Buford
Position: PACE Mentor
Year: Junior
Hometown: Richmond, Texas
Major: Art Education
Involvement: Black Student Union, Emerge Leadership Program, Latinx Unidos, Phi Omega Phi Fraternity
In one word, how would you describe your experience in PACE and why? Memorable. Regardless of what I go through, that experience has stuck so far and I'd like to think that there is a long, lasting impact.
Lamero Ceasar
Position: PACE Mentor
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Waukegan, Illinois
Majors: Psychology, Political Science
Involvement: Black Student Union, Rho Nu Delta Fraternity, Wrestling, Student Government Association
In what way did PACE help you feel seen, supported or empowered? The PACE Program helped me feel seen, supported and empowered by giving me a community of people I know I can rely on. Through the PACE Program I got to meet some of my teammates for wrestling earlier and now we are super close. The people who were in my Pace group are some of my best friends today. I loved the PACE program experience and would definitely do it again. One thing that made me feel supported and empowered during my PACE program were the quotes/advice all the students and staff would give when we first entered campus.
Jaylen Clayton
Position: PACE Mentor Lead
Year: Junior
Hometown: Orlando, Florida
Major: Engineering
Involvement: Augustana Physics and Engineering Society, Heavy Steppas, TRIO Student Support Services, Wrestling Team
In what way did PACE help you feel seen, supported or empowered? PACE provided me with a community that I knew I could go to and rely on when things got hard or when I felt overwhelmed by everything else, that helped make me feel cared about and seen. Sometimes it’s hard to find a place of belonging and that’s what PACE gave to me by surrounding me with others who I knew looked like me.
Atticus Georgas
Position: PACE Mentor Lead
Year: Senior
Hometown: Bloomington, Illinois
Majors: Film, Sociology
Involvement: Asian Student Organization, Delta Omega Nu Fraternity - Diversity Chair, Film Club - Vice President, Latinx Unidos
What advice would you give to an incoming PACE student? Embrace change and know that you are not alone in this sometimes scary journey!
Diego Gómez-Zamora
Position: PACE Mentor
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska
Majors: Political Science, Philosophy, and Multimedia Journalism and Mass Communication
Involvement: Delta Omega Nu, Latinx Unidos, Buhós, Pre-Law Association, American Model United Nations, Student Government Association
In one word, how would you describe your experience in PACE and why? Transformative. I would use that word to describe my PACE experience because it truly was transformative in how I envisioned myself at Augustana. Without PACE, I would have considered transferring institutions, but PACE provided me a foundation to build my Augustana experience. Because of it, I have an amazing group of friends, connections to many organizations, and long-lasting moments to cherish for life.
Magaly Huesca
Position: PACE Mentor
Year: Senior
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Majors: Sociology & Anthropology, Spanish
Involvement: Alpha Phi Omega, Asian Student Organization, Chi Omega Gamma Sorority, Latinx Unidos
What advice would you give to an incoming PACE student? Don't be afraid to try new things and to explore different interests. And don't be afraid to reach out for anything.
Megan Kitchen
Position: PACE Mentor
Year: Senior
Hometown: Washington, Iowa
Majors: Asian Studies, Business Management
Involvement: Asian Student Organization, Camp Kesam Augustana, Mahjong Club, Viking Tour Guide
In what way did PACE help you feel seen, supported or empowered? I never really knew where I belonged growing up in a small town. PACE gave me a community that I felt I belonged in.
Fatima Martinez Gallegos
Position: PACE Mentor
Year: Senior
Hometown: Hodgkins, Illinois
Majors: Business Administration, Communications, Economics
Involvement: Augustana Observer, Student Government Association
In one word, how would you describe your experience in PACE and why? My experience with PACE can be described as nurturing. I chose this word because PACE provided me with a space where I could be myself, find a group of friends, have fun, and access the resources I needed to succeed at Augie.
Abhik Mostafa
Position: PACE Mentor
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Moline, Illinois
Majors: Civil Engineering
Involvement: Gamma Alpha Beta Fraternity
In one word, how would you describe your experience in PACE and why? Calming. I chose this word because coming into college, I was extremely nervous. Having a PACE family there for me really calmed me down, and I was assured I chose the right place.
Jenny Osei-Kofi
Position: PACE Mentor
Year: Junior
Hometown: Aurora, Illinois
Majors: Communication Sciences and Disorders, Public Health
Involvement: Band, Delta Chi Theta Sorority, Multicultural Programming Board, Student Government Association, Viking Tour Guide
In what way did PACE help you feel seen, supported or empowered? A big part of the program was my mentor and other mentors that made me feel seen and supported me when I needed it.
Francisco Rodriguez
Position: PACE Mentor
Year: Senior
Hometown: Moline, Illinois
Major: Business Management
Involvement: Latinx Unidos, Phi Omega Phi Fraternity
Khadija Sakho
Position: PACE Mentor
Year: Junior
Hometown: Rock Island, Illinois
Majors: Pre-Occupational Therapy, Psychology
Involvement: Black Student Union, Chi Omega Gamma Sorority, Multicultural Programming Board
In what way did PACE help you feel seen, supported or empowered? The relationships I built with people who understood my experiences and offered advice have meant so much to me. It’s those supportive communities that made me want to stay at Augustana.
Selah Sotomayer
Position: PACE Mentor
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Waukegan, Illinois
Major: Art Education
Involvement: Latinx Unidos, Multicultural Programming Board, Chi Alpha Pi Sorority
In one word, how would you describe your experience in PACE and why? One word I would use to describe my PACE experience is eye-opening. Even before PACE, the idea of even attending Augustana was new to me. Having committed late, I had only briefly visited campus once, the only person I knew was my roommate, and had no real idea what the school offered outside of my major. On a whim, I joined PACE as a mentee because it felt like the best way to ease into my new life in the Quad Cities. PACE opened my eyes to a plethora of organizations, resources, and even the campus layout. Being able to see the PACE mentors span across campus and be successful made it seem like a successful life at Augie was possible. While initially, I had a slow adjustment to school, I was soon able to reap the full benefits that PACE had to offer.
Khalia Tate-Conn
Position: PACE Mentor
Year: Junior
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Major: Kinesiology
Involvement: Black Student Union, Works in the Admissions Office
What advice would you give to an incoming PACE student? Do not limit yourself to the people you’re already comfortable with. Branch out, explore new cultures, and stay open to forming new connections. But at the same time, take time to get to know people and be a good judge of character.
Arely Villafranca
Position: PACE Mentor
Year: Junior
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Major: Elementary Education
Involvement: Latinx Unidos, Ambassador and Viking Guide for the Office of Admissions
What advice would you give to an incoming PACE student? Put yourself out there! It doesn't matter who you were in high school, now is the time to find yourself and your community!